Slide for zippers



Dec. 21, 1954 G. BERNASCONI 2,697,261 SLIDE FOR ZIPPERS Filed May 25,1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l It "ff-22 155222 H L. +r T-wi 6' s 3W 41 INVENTOR.4:20;; fizz/warm? Dec. 21, 1954 G. BERNASCONI 2,697,261 SLIDE FORZIPPERS Filed May 25, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. wwmaammscw Dec.21, 1954 G. BERNASCONI 2,697,261 SLIDE FOR ZIFPERS Filed May 25, 1951 5Shets-Sheet a United States Patent 2,697,261 suns FOR ZIPPERS GiuseppeBernasconi, Mendrisio, Switzerland Application May 25, 1951, Serial No.228,151

Claims priority, application Switzerland September 26, 1950 6 Claims.(Cl. 24-205.14)

The present invention refers to a slider with locking means for zippersor slide fasteners which allows engagement and release of said lockingmeans at the end of any movements of the slider relative to the slidefasteners.

The movements of the well-known zipper or fastener slider are alwaysfree and only at the end of the slider movement for opening or closingof the fasteners a lock is actuated by a pulling element which isprovided on one or both sides of the sliding plates of the slider.

The slider according to the invention may be actuated at will andcomprises a spring which passes through at least one of the two platesof which the slider consists, one end of said spring in the form of adetent engaging the space between the teeth of the fasteners, the lattercooperating with the slider in any position thereof while said sliderwill be released by a pull in whatever direction.

The invention will now be described in greater detail and shown byseveral embodiments.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the slider in side view with locking meansrepresented in different positions.

Fig. 4 shows a cross section of the slider taken along line IV-IV ofFig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows a top view of the slider of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken along line VIVI ofFig. 5 and shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 7 shows on an enlarged scale a longitudinal section taken alongline VIIVII of Figs. 6 and 1.

Fig. 8 shows a part of the longitudinal section of the slider (rearpart).

Fig. 9 shows a similar section of the slider front part taken along lineIX-IX of Fig. 8. 1

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are front views of the slider which representdifferent examples of stirrup connections.

Figs. 14, 15, 16 and 17 are side views of different forms of executionof the slider.

Figs. 18 and 19 are side views of two different forms of execution ofthe slider, with one, respectively, and two buttons for the movement ofthe slider.

In the embodiment shown in Figs,1-9 the slider for zippers is providedwith two covering plates 1 and 2, which have two ribs running in thedirection of the slider movement. These ribs 3, 4 engage the guide slots3', 4 of the stirrup or bail means 5.

In this stirrup 5 a groove 6 runs along the outer boundary of thestirrup. In this groove a pulling member or organ 7 can slide from theupper to the lower covering plate of the slider structure, in a way,that said member may assume a position which is shown in Fig. 2 in fulllines, further the positions seen in Fig. 3 and Fig. 1 and may finallyassume another extreme position shown in Fig. 2 by dotted lines.

One of the slider covering plates, as shown in Fig. 1 covering plate 1,carries a control spring 8 made of steel wire or fiat steel, which isanchored in end slot 9 (Fig. 8). The anchorage is provided at the rearpart of the spring (see Figs. 8 and 9) while the intermediate part ofthe spring forms a bent part 8', in a way that it provides two legsslanting at an obtuse angle to each other.

This bent spring part 8 is placed exactly in the middle of a slot 12provided in stirrup or bail 5. Across this bent part passes a pin 13with head 14 which is fixed on the stirrup 5 and is able to movesomewhat in and relative to slot 12. The same movement may be performedby the stirrup 5. The forward end of spring 8 provides a detent or toothwhich passes through an opening 11 of the covering plate 1, forengagement within a space 2 usually existing between two adjacentfastener elements to lock the slider in this manner against movement.

If now the stirrup 5 is shifted by pulling the member 7 which accordingto Fig. 2 assumes the position shown in full lines at 7, the pin 13--14will be displaced and abuts against one of the slanting legs of the bentspring part 8, so that the detent 10 is lifted from its position betweentwo adjacent fastener elements and releases the slider for performing amovement. As soon as the pull on member 7 ceases, the pin 1314 isreturned by spring part 8' to its median position within slot 12, anddetent 10 is guided again into a space between adjacent fastenerelements for locking the slider thereat.

The pin 1314 fulfils two tasks; firstly, it lifts the spring out of itslocking position and thus allows for the movement of the slider.Secondly, it limits the displacement of the slidable stirrup 5 byabutting against either end wall of slot 12 so that the stirrup cannotmove away from the slider and at the same time prevents the spring frombeing used beyond its limit of elasticity.

The spring 8 fulfils for its part also two tasks. Firstly, it permitslocking of the slider on the fastener elements by detent or tooth 10.Secondly, after the movement of the slider with corresponding movementof the stirrup, which is relatively limited, the spring etfectuatesretraction of pin element 13 to its median position which corresponds tothe locking position of detent 10.

In Figs. 10 to 13 are described some forms of embodiment of the coveringplates 1, 2 with the stirrup 5 represented in front elevational view.

Fig. 10 is an embodiment which is provided with ribs 3, 4 on thecovering plates 1, 2 and the corresponding slots 3', 4 in the stirrup 5.

In Fig. 11 the ribs are provided in the stirrup 5a at 3a, 4a and theslots in the covering plates 1a, 2a.

Figs. 12 and 13 show two similar front views but in which ribs and slots3b, 4b and 3c, 40 are of dovetail shape and are integral with plates 1b,2b and stirrup 50, respectively. In Fig. 13 plates 1c, 2c havecorrespondingly shaped recesses.

Fig. 14 shows an embodiment in which the stirrup 5d is only provided onone half of the covering plates 1d, 2d.

This half may be the upper plate or the lower plate. In Fig. 14 thestirrup or bail is connected to the upper plate In this case release orlocking operations of the zipper may be executed only at one side, whilesaid operations may take place according to other examples of executionon both sides of the lock slider.

In Fig. 15 a form of embodiment is shown according to which a spring Seis built in the slider, which has the task of stopping the pin exactlyin the middle position. Bail means Se is connected to plate means 1e, 2eas shown.

InFig. 16 an embodiment is shown in which there are provided two springsof compensation 19, 20, the spring 19 being placed between the stirrup5] and the rear side of the two covering plates 1 2 and die spring 20between the stirrup 5 and abutments 21, 22 of the lower plate 2]. Thesesprings 19, 20 serve therefore as a compensation and as a reinforcementof the spring 8 In Fig. 17 is shown an embodiment in which the stirrup5g has a little extension 23, which serves as an abutment in order tolimit the longitudinal movement of the stirrup to the outside.

According to the embodiment of Fig. 18, the stirrup 5h has a button 24on its circumference, which may be formed in one piece with the stirrupor which can be fixed on this stirrup by welding. This button 24replaces the pull organ 7 of Figs. 1, 2, 3. If the stirrup 511 is pulledby the button 24, the slider will be moved and the locking spring systemwill operate as already described.

In the embodiment of Fig. 19, the stirrup 5i surrounds at opposite sidesthe two covering plates 1i and 21 and shows on both sides a button 25,26, respectively. In this manner the slider may be moved from eitherside of the zipper. As hereinabove mentioned buttons 25, 26 may beformed integral with the stirrup or fixed to it.

It follows from the aforesaid disclosure that the slider 3 is alwayslocked when at rest, while it is able to slide freely as soon as a pullis exerted by means of member or button 7 or 24 or 25, 26 in lengthwisedirection of plate means, such as 1g, 2g (Fig. 17), 1h, 2h (Fig. 18),ii, 2i (Fig. 19).-

it can thus be seen that there has been provided according to theinvention an automatic lock slider tor slide fastener elements;comprising slider plate means 1, 2 for engaging said slide fastenerelements to open and close the same, bail means being arranged forslidable movement relative to said plate means 1, 2', interengageablemeans 3, 3' and 4, 4 slidably connecting said bail means 5 with saidslider plate means. 1, 2, whereby the rib forming means 3 is providedwith an elongated slot 12 terminating in opposite end walls, a pinelement 1'3-14 extending across said slot being arranged fordisplacement Within said slot to theextent of said end walls, springmeans 8 having one end 9 anchored in said plate means and having a freeend 1d forming a detent, said free end passing through an opening 11 inone of said plate meansand being operable to extend into and out of aspace usually existing between two adjacent fastener elements torespectively lock and unlock said slider thereat, said spring means 8including an intermediate bent portion 8 located between said detent andsaid one end 9, said bent portion being provided with two legs angularlydirected to each other with the apex thereof positioned astride said pinelement 13-44 and in normal position at a location approximately midwayof the length of said elon gated slot 12, said pin element beingprovided with a head 14 movable in said guide means, and pulling means 7displaceable along said guide means 6 for position at either end of saidplate means 1, 2 and operatively connected at 7 to said bail means 5whereby upon actuation of said pulling means said bail means and saidpin element may be moved relative to said plate means. so that said pinelement abuts against either of said end walls and simultaneouslyactuates either of said legs to unlock said slider, said pin element andsaid detent being retractable to said normal position by said springmeans upon release of said pulling means.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. An automatic lock slider for slide fastener elements: comprisingslider plate means for engaging said slide fastener elements to open andclose the same, bail means including guide means, said bail means beingconnected to said plate means for relative sliding movement thereto,means on said plate means for guiding said bail means relative to saidplate means, said bail means being provided with a slot, said slot beingdefined by opposite end walls and positioned adjacent one end of saidbail means, a pin element extending across said slot and connected tosaid bail means, spring means having one end anchored in said platemeans and having a free end forming a detent passing through an openingin said plate means, said detent being operable in said opening toextend into and out of a space provided between two adjacent fastenerelements to respectively lock and unlock said slider thereat, saidspring means including a bent portion located between said detent andsaid one end of said spring means, said bent portion having two legsangularly directed to each other with the apex thereof positionedastride said pin element and in normal position at a locationsubstantially midway of the length of said slot, and pulling meansdisplaceable along said guide means to thereby assume a position ateither end of said plate means, whereby said pulling means is operableto displace said bail means and said pin element relative to said platemeans, thus causing abutment of said pin element against either of saidend walls and simultaneously actuating either of said legs to therebyunlock said detent and said slider plate means, said pin element andsaid detent being retractable by said spring means to said normalposition upon release of said pulling means.

2. An automatic lock slider according to claim 1, said guiding meansincluding rib and recess, respectively, provided in said plate means andin said bail means.

3. An automatic lock slider according to claim 2, wherein said rib andrecess are, respectively, dove-tailed in cross-section.

4-. An automatic lock slider according to claim 2, wherein said slot isprovided in said rib, said guiding means being recessed within said bailmeans.

5. An, automatic lock slider according to claim 1, wherein said ballmeans is U-shaped and surrounds said plate means in stirrup-shapedfashion, said pulling means when displaced along said bail means to aposition at either end of said plate means actuating said detent foroperating said slider.

An automatic lock slider accordingto claim 1, said spring meansextending in lengthwise direction of said plate means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,302,666 Sundback May 6, 1919 2,277,503 Pickens Mar. 24, 19422,281,009 Poux a Apr. 28, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date576,012 Germany of 1933

